Marketing Discussions From Students at the Girard School of Business, Merrimack College

Athleisure wear seems to be the new upcoming thing for young adults. Not only is the clothing extremely comfortable but also most come at reasonable prices. When reading the article, Product and Competition Stretch Market for Athleisure’ Clothing,http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/26/business/products-and-competition-stretch-market-for-athleisure-clothing.html?_r=0 I was able to relate to the topic at hand. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see people anywhere wearing comfortable, leisure clothing. The article actually mentioned that this epidemic has even led to people in the office wearing sneakers rather than dress shoes.

Yogasmoga is working to be an amazing authentic athleisure retail store topping even their largest competitor, Lululemon. Retailers these days are all grasping with the idea of selling athleisure clothing and accessories, as young adults are interested in group fitness classes, running and doing yoga. What sets Yogasmoga apart from the other athleisure retailers? They use aurum fabric, which is supposed to be extremely soft and durable. They spent two years making carbon 6 black dye pants, which are said to “never go see-through.”

I think that Yogasmoga may have an impact on the athleisure industry for certain target markets. It is very possible that customers who shop at Lululemon would shop at Yogasmoga as well because their prices are very similar. However, I don’t think that Yogasmoga will necessarily have a large impact on other companies, such as Nike and Addidas, which have been around forever. Their customers tend to be loyal and faithful to their products, and they also sell products at more affordable prices. Seeing as the locations of Yogasmoga stores are mainly in metropolitan areas, they may do well as these areas are likely have sizeable populations of people who are able to afford their clothes. That said, I think Yogasmoga would only have an impact on those brands that list their products at a similar price.

As a girl, wearing yoga pants, capris and leggings are a must! Especially when working out. They are the most comfortable items of clothing and are easy to exercise in. However, yoga pants definitely wear out after a few washes and typically become see-through unless they are a higher-quality, higher-priced alternative. I tend to buy athleisure clothing at Gap, Nike, Under Armour and even Kohl’s. Why? Because they have reasonable prices! While Lululemon does have cute clothing that fits snug, they are expensive. Especially for a college student, who just wants to workout and feel comfortable. Lululemon definitely deserves a trip here and there, but not all the time.

Even though the article mentions that Nike and other retailers are seeing a decrease in their profits, I still shop there because the price is reasonable for me and I like their clothing. I have never had a problem with Nike apparel going see-through or tearing. However, I have bought athleisure wear from the Gap, which has torn in the dryer many times. This, then, brings up the question of: does it make more sense to choose the more expensive retailer for athleisure clothing or to go with the cheapest?

When thinking this question over I first look at the pros and cons of each. The pros of Lululemon and Yogasmoga clothing are that they basically make a promise to their customers that their clothing is the softest and most durable. What are the cons of choosing more expensive brands? Well of course, the price! A tank top at Yogasmoga goes for around $72… if you were to use the $72 at a cheaper retailer such as Kohl’s, you would definitely walk out with more than a tank top. Now what are the pros of cheaper, more affordable athleisure retailers? Yes, the price; but also that their clothing can be just as durable and soft! Most of the time it is hard to distinguish a difference between clothing from higher-priced retailers and those from lower-priced. Okay, how about the cons of cheaper retailers? Well, although at first it may be hard to see a difference in the fabric and durability, over time clothing becomes less soft and usually does become see- through. Colors tend to fade from extensive wear and fabric usually isn’t that soft anymore. However, at the end of the day, I would still choose the more affordable brands as I can get more for my money. If clothes tear or go see through I can buy another pair for 1/3 of the price of Lululemon or Yogasmoga’s clothing.

Overall, it really depends on the consumer and what they want to buy. Yogasmoga may intrigue some to loyally shop with them while others may shop once and never return. Yogasmoga’s target market is limited. Their products are directed towards people who don’t mind spending $72 on a tank top. As mentioned, college students who aren’t working probably wouldn’t want to spend half of their food money for the week on a top that they may only wear one time. As clearly stated, all retailers must participate in the epidemic or they will lose out. Brand loyalty is KEY!

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32 thoughts on “Athleisure Wear for the Future”

Aishwarya GuntiApril 2, 2016 / 11:40 pm

I personally buy clothes at affordable prices. As I get bored very easily with them, I would not mind donating and buying new ones because of their low prices. Regardless, I appreciate the high prices brands because of their high quality and durability. I agree with Nichole about yogasmoga poorly segmenting their target population. To defend its position, segmentation has to be pertinent.

Most people are going to purchase clothes at affordable prices. I think stores like Lululemon and Yogasmoga are for people that have disposable income and won’t notice and extra $72 missing from their budget for the month where most americans that could pay an additional bill for the month. Nike, Underarmor and Adidas make great quality clothes for a great price. I believe the Lululemon and Yogasmoga definitely have their own target market that they are targeting and it is not your average american. People don’t mind spending a little more for good quality clothing but I think $72.00 for a tank top is rediculous.

Personally, for athleisure I don’t think you need such high quality products as long as the leggings aren’t see through. I personally have different clothes for “athleisure” and being comfortable and different clothes for actually working out. With that being said I don’t know if people would buy Yogasmoga’s apparel just to be comfortable. And if they do it would be people who have disposable income as Jennifer stated.

It is obvious here, that the majority of people are going to turn to the stores with the more reasonable prices. In doing so, one can buy several different articles of clothing and get more for their dollar than just buying one really expensive item. This store might want to consider not trying to reach out and target college students, but more towards moms who follow this same style but can actually afford it. Personally, I only shop at stores like this once in a while to treat myself, but I wouldn’t shop here on a regular basis due to the high cost of the products.

If you think about it, people are normally working out 3-5 days a week and if people are buying the more expensive clothing they are going to be limited to how much they are able buy. If these people are only able to buy one pair of leggings and one shirt that’s only going to last them one day. So what are they going to wear for the other days? This is a reason why I think people are attracted to the less pricy clothing so they are able to buy more and have more options when they workout. I personally will buy cheaper workout clothing, but you have to accept the fact that it might not fit perfectly and won’t last as long as high quality athletic wear. I recently bought my first pair of lululemon leggings because of all the hype about how great they fit and I would have to agree with them. It’s ok to treat yourself every once in a while with the higher quality clothing, but it’s not something I would personally go out and buy every time I needed a new pair of leggings for example.

I see this brand as something that is going to rely on brand loyalty from people with higher, disposable incomes who are going to be able to spend more money for the experience of shopping this brand and the perceived quality. Although there are thousands of clothing stores that are now offering athleisure wear, this more expensive, higher-end brand is going to be competing mainly with other stores of the same price-range such as lululemon. The brand loyalty to stores such as lulu, Nike, Reebok and so on are the main driver in this industry. It is the experience and the perceived quality that create the brand loyalty that will really make or break the Yogasmoga brand.

If Yogasmoga is going to be the same priced as Lulu Lemon I do not think many people will buy from there. A lot of people are dead set on buying clothes from Lulu because they are comfortable and durable. Yogasmoga seems to be the same as Lulu where people hang around in these clothes and can work out in them. Also, I do not think people will buy this apparel because of the high pricing. I only have one pair of Lulu Lemon yoga pants and that just because I felt like I needed to buy at least one thing from there since they are so “popular” but I usually buy my yoga pants or work out clothes from cheaper stores.

Great blog, Nichole! I think you can buy good quality and stylish athleisure at much lower prices – Gap, Marshalls, etc. As mentioned in previous comments, most people need athleisure for several days per week, so unless you can afford to spend almost a thousand dollars for multiple pairs of yoga pants and tops from Lulu or Yogasmoga, you will need to find alternative places to shop. These high-end stores are trying to create an experience, however, in reality the average person cannot afford to buy items on a regular basis – only make an occasional purchase to try out the brand.

I personally am a big fan on lulelemon products. They are expensive but in my opinion it is worth it if they last years. I would rather get one good item than 3 ones that will fall apart quickly. I do think it is two completely different markets. Some people like to spend money on nice clothes and others would rather have a large quantity.

Many people here seem disappointed with the target audience and pricing of yogasmoga. Do we say that Dior or Versace is overachieving itself? Of course yogasmoga isn’t there yet, but it aims to be among those high end brands, however just for athleisure. People who buy from Dior and Versacee workout too, and these are the people with disposable income and will be willing to pay 72$ for a tank top.They are making profits so will Yogasmoga. Yogasmoga has spend tremendous resources in the technology of its fabric, but it has to be properly marketed, The value it wants to offer people has to be conveyed through its advertisements.

Athleisure could potentially be a hard product to market, especially on social media. The brand could post about fitness and health goals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the people wearing Athleisure are healthy and fit. A lot of people, athletic or not, wear this type of clothing for comfort and not just for athletics. A lot of people would like the overall idea of a brand like this, but it would probably work better to start out with a lot of advertising and less social media posts about fitness.

Yogasmoga has the potential to be very successful. Since it is comparative to LuLu Lemon I think that many people, athletic or not, would like to buy their products. Although they may be pricey, sometimes that is the half of it. People tend to buy products for their logo and if Yogasmoga creates a high-end reputation as a company, consumers may become attracted to it. Granted, the high prices will turn away some consumers.

Yogasmoga’s target market is the same as Lululemon’s. There is going to be a high volume of competition between these two businesses. With high prices, Yogasmoga narrowed their target audience. They will not be able to compete with Nike, Under Armour, and other famous brands. They can’t really compete with businesses that sell their products cheap either because these consumers buy specifically for the low price. I believe Yogasmoga put themselves in a bind that will be tough for them to succeed.

I can’t picture myself buying from Lululemon or Yogasmoga. I can find something very similar for a lot cheaper price at Marshalls or TJ Max that last for a few years as these stores offer many good brands with high quality at a discounted price. I am sure a lot of people with disposable income who value logo and perceived quality of the product will shop at one of these stores.

I personally buy clothes that are not very expensive. I have never understood why people buy $80 pants when they could get the same pants for $30 at a Khol’s or Marshall’s. I like Lululemon and Yogasmoga but couldn’t picture myself buying it.

This was a great article. I agree that people with disposable income who only buy for the logo will shop at stores such as Lululemon and Yogasmoga. Even if the quality is not that great. I think a lot of other brands such as Nike is also way over priced. I only buy Nike at stores such as Marshalls where the prices are lower than a sports store. On the positive side I know if I invest a little more for a product such as Nike or Athletica I will have the articles of clothing for a few years and get my money’s worth.

I totally agree with CJ on this one. I also buy the majority of my clothes at Marshalls or TJMaxx, so it’s hard to commit to the price of a brand like Yogasmoga. Another part of shopping for lower priced items is that I enjoy buying new clothes. If my yoga pants or leggings are going to last for years and years to come, what are the odds that I want to wear them for years and years. What if I change sizes, or the trend changes. For all we know it could be cool to work out in jeggings from American Eagle two years from now. For a diehard yogi, yogasmoga or lululemon are probably much more of a lifestyle than a trend.

I love yoga pants, so having a yoga pant such as Yogasmoga that is much softer is awesome. On the other hand, I do not like to spend an excessive amount of money on something, when there are other types of brands. I purchase affordable yoga pants, as well as enjoy shopping so if I continue to purchase clothes, especially yoga pants at an affordable price, I can buy more of them. I love athleisure apparel, and for the people who can afford spending extra money on clothes, I feel would enjoy the Yogasmoga clothes. They can find their target market, and advertise to them and I feel do well. They will have some competition like stated such as Lululemon, Nike and Adidas but depending on how well their material is, and how well they advertise, I can see them being successful.

Yogasmoga may be successful if they have high quality material, but I feel most people only buy a couple expensive leggings and then only get cheaper leggings. Young adults do not usually have the money to buy expensive clothing, so the segment Yogasmoga is marketing to may not be appropriate. Yogasmoga needs to market to people that have a disposable income, instead of at most one time buyers who do not have the money to purchase more products.

This is a great topic, and I enjoyed reading your post! It seems that athleisure wear has become quite an epidemic. More and more people are buying into this athletic wear fashion trend and I too see people wearing this type of clothing at work as well in the office. It seems that the target market is hard to distinguish for this type of clothing because a lot of people work out. I myself, wear a lot Lululemon leggings tops, and shirts because of the quality and the durability but I only by them once and awhile as a treat to myself. I also agree with others, that Yogasmoga needs to market to people that have a more disposable income, instead of just a one-time buyer who may not have the income to be a regular customer.

Given the new trend for everyday athleisure wear I think Yogasmoga has a lot of potential to capitalize on this new market. I don’t think the selective audience is much to worry about because LuLu Lemon seems to be doing just fine. However, I do think that being almost identical to this brand, Yogasmoga may have trouble converting brand loyal LuLu customers to buy a brand name they are not familiar with. I’m interested to hear about the future of this company.

I feel this market is going to be a hard market to break into. Lululemon is already very established and has strong brand loyalty. Nike and Adidas, like you said, have been players in the game far too long for a company like this to come in and steal market share. With their high prices, and tough competition, this could be a struggle.

I believe that Yogosmoga has a lot of ground to cover if it wants to steal market share away from its competitors such as Lululemon. In order to get ahead of its competitors Yogasmoga should consider incorporating wearable technology into its clothes. They could incorporate the workout applications that phones have, directly into their clothes. Wearable technology is the way of the future and could jump start Yogasmogas clothing line.

Good point Aidan. If yogasmoga was able to utilize wearable technology, this might give them the step up on Lululemon and other competitors. I saw recently that Kate Hudson’s athleisure wear is getting more popularity. If yogasmoga was able to partner with Under Armor, who has a lot of wearable technology used by the NFL during the scouting combine, they might appeal to more people.

I think the rise of clothing companies that sell athleisure wear will be on the rise in the future, just like the example of Yogasmoga. It will be hard for them to distinguish and differentiate themselves from Lululemon and make sure they have a something unique to offer, if they are going to remain in the same pricing bracket. Despite Lululemon’s high prices, people still shop there. They have no problem getting the customers that are willing to buy their products. I am one college student that loves wearing athleisure wear almost every day. I have a few pairs of yoga pants from Lululemon and a few pairs from Victoria secret, and a few pairs from other retail stores as well. I will say that my Lululemon pants have stayed in good condition. I also make it an extra point to take extra good care of them however, since they were more expensive. Maybe if I paid the same amount of attention to all my yoga pants, as I do my Lululemons, I might not have has many rips of fades in my other pants. Who knows. Or it could simply be the quality of the clothing as the blog explains. I think it all depends on the consumer and what they find most important to them when buying clothing. Everyone is different and there are many companies that offer many different qualities and prices to meet the needs of all consumers.

Athleisure is becoming more and more popular among young adults and I understand why. Although I do agree that some brands are outrageous, such as Lululemon, I still tend to migrate towards the more expensive apparel. The way I see it, I’d rather spend $50 on a nice pair of Nike pants and know that I am getting a great quality product that I love, rather than $20 on a pair of more affordable pants from somewhere like Old Navy, a place that does not specialize in exercise apparel. I might spend a lot more in the beginning, but those pants will last me several years and the less expensive pair may only last me one year so I’d have to replace them every year. In the long run, I think buying more expensive, better quality products can save you money.

I agree that athleisure wear is becoming more and more popular as many more athletics companies are being created. This type of clothing is very popular among college kids because its easy to find an outfit (leggings match everything), cheap (sometimes), and comfortable. Many people nowadays are also becoming more involved with fitness. Almost everyday when I wear athleisure wear, I go to the gym after class. Its comfortable and you don’t have to change in between class and the gym.

Yogsmoga is entering a very established and competitive market. Although I believe there is a place for expensive, but quality athleisure, I think it is difficult when dealing with established brands such as Lulu and Nike. These companies have strong customer loyalty that already have a grasp on high end athleisure clothing. Yogasmoga needs to approach a different target market to be successful.

It’s interesting to see the growth and trends continue to rise in the Athleisure where area. When lululemon first started gaining traction in the US, there was a large question of why you would spend so much money on clothes to work out? Traditional retailers that have consistent brand loyalty such as Nike and Reebok are expensive enough and now companies like lulu, Yogsmoga and others are adding to the mix at a higher price. For years I was definitely against the brand and felt strongly that I could purchase similar clothing at more affordable competitors such as Old Navy, Gap and others. However, I’ve started to shift. With the flexibility in personal spending and search for “durability, comfort and looks” as my own lifestyle has become incredibly more active, they have me hooked and it’s largely attributed to their product.What started with one pair of running pants that were “way to expensive”…over at least 50 “wears” later has led me to consider their products more often. It’s not to say my closet is outfitted in lululemon but now when I’m looking for items, I’m more likely to consider them. Is it something I want to have for a long time? How important is comfort? Looks? And more importantly…how do you hook consumers in the first place?

Actually just came across this article which emphasizes a new competitor in this market. Outdoor Voices however has a unique positioning from some of these other brands such as lululemon and yogsmoga focusing on looser fitting, more active clothing. This target market could even appeal to an older population or those who are focused more on hiking and adventure sports. It will be interesting to see where they price their products as they continue to expand.

The first issue Yogasmoga has is its name. When i see it i think bogus, no big deal, irrelevant. I think for individuals with disposable income whom shop at lululemon and other high end stores they have a lot more brand loyalty for these kinds of stores and shop “for the name”. However, for people who shop for quality and dont think twice about the name, yogasmoga has a chance. But again the name is a huge marketing point that they should really reconsider.

I had never heard of Yogasmoga prior to your presentation. I thin what threw me off the most, and I think it is safe to say everyone else, was the name of the company. As Professor Smith mentioned, I think it would be difficult for people to take this brand seriously given their name. When I was looking at their website, I noticed how few selections they had and even their product line didn’t spark my interest. I am also a huge fan of Lululemon so I could be biased, but I don’t see Yogasmoga being wildy successful in the future.